Golf-stroke-registering device



r r 1,639,715 23, 1927. I G'VL ON I GOLF STROKE REGISTERING DEVICE FiledApril 9, 1924 2 Shet-Sheet 1 be INVENTOR [Jae/53a Z T/mmaon BY 2 if, 2, 24 v v ATTORNEYS Aug. 23, 1927. v

G. I. THOMSON GOLF STROKE REGISTERING DEVICE- Filed April ,9. 1924 Z-Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS 45 Figure 2.

Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

GEO RG-E I. THOMSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOliF-STROKE-REGISTERIITG DEVIdE.

Application filed April 9, 1924. Serial No. 705,291.

My invention relates to improvements in golf stroke registering devices, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described by means of which the accuracy of a golf stroke may be clearly determined.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described by means of which the distance which the golf ball would travel were it not intercepted in its flight may be accurately and visibly made known to the player. My invention is primarily intended for use indoors as in a golf school, club house, or at any place where golf players wish to test and develop their strokes.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be reset for further use when actuated at a point remote from the registering mechanism.

A further object of my invent-ion'is to provide a device of the type described which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, and which is thoroughly practical for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in. the accompanying drawings forming part of this apas lication, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an em-' bodiment of my invention Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a part of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 49 1, arts thereof being broken away.

Figure '3 is an enlarged view along the line 83 of Figure 2. s

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a part of the mec anism' illustrated in Figure 5 is an enlarged view along the line 55 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a.diagr,ammatic View of the electrical circuit employed in my improved golf stroke registering device.

In carryin out my lnvention I make use of a funnel-s aped canvas guide member 1, substantially uadrangular in cross section. The larger en 2 of this canvas guide memher 1 is provided with a pair of flaps 3 and 4 which are secured to a pair of columns 5 fixed at their lower and upper ends to the floor and ceiling 6 and 7 respectively of the room in which the device is used. These fiaps4 are fixed to the columns 5 by means of connecting links and hooks 8 and 9.

A pair of uprights 10, one on either side of the guide member 1, each provided with a bracket 11 from which a swinging stop plate 12 is suspended by means of cords 13. The stop plate 12 normally abuts the con stricted end 14 of the guide member 1.

A golf ball when driven into the guide member 1 will seek the constricted end 14, where it will strike the stop plate 12 and move the stop plate away from the guide member 1. The distance and speed with which the stop plate 12 will move depends upon the speed in which the ball is traveling when it strikes the plate. Obviously if the stroke is inaccurate and strikes the inner side walls of the guide member 1 first, and thereupon strikes the stop member 12, certain of the force of the moving golf ball will have been expended and the stop plate 12 will not move as far and at as great a speed as though the ball hit the plate squarely in the center.

Means for accurately recording the speed and travel of the stop plate 12 is provided in a registering mechanism which consists in a wheel 15 similar in construction to the ordinary type of bicycle wheel rotatably mounted upon bifurcated supports 16 and having its axis disposed transversely with respect to the axis of the guide member 1.

The wheel 15 is provided with a striking member 17 extending outwardly from the peripheral wall thereof and arranged to normally abut a movable striker lever 18 at 19. The lever 18 is pivotally supported at 20 between a'pair of uprights 21 which are secured at 22 to the floor 6 by means of bolts or the like. The opposite end 23 0f the striker lever 18 is arranged to lie in registration with the mid point of the stop plate 12 and ata slight distance from thestop plate so that sudden movement of the stop plate 12 away from the guide member 1 will cause the lever 18 to move on its pivotal support 20 and rotate the wheel 15 in a clockwise direction, (see Fi ire 2).

Means for normally holding the wheel 15 in the position shown in Figure 2 is'provided in an adjustable counterweight 24 secured to the rim of the wheel 15.

A cabinet 25 is disposed adjacent to the IOU place at which the player makes his drive, which is usually ten yards from the mouth of the guide memberl and is provided with a sheet iron panel 26 forming the front cover thereof. This panel 26 has perforations 27 therethrough in the form if figures designating distances from to 300. A

plurality of cup-shaped housings 28 are fixed to the back of the panel 26. one in registration with each of the perforations 27 by means of stud bolts 29. An incandescent bulb 30, (see Figure 6) is provided in each ofthe housings 28, and a socket 31 for receiving the bulb 3 Q has ,its terminals 32 and 33 arranged for connection in an electrical circuit hereinafter described.

Means for operating the incandescent lamp behind the perforation indicating 300 when a shot having the accuracy and speed of a 300 yard drive has been made, and for operating the lamp 30 in registration with any other of the perforations through the panel 26 when a shot having the equivalent of that distance indicated by the perforation has been made, is provided in the following mechanism associated with the wheel 15. This mechanism consists of a multiplicity of switches supported upon an insulating panel 34 and disposed within a housing 35. The housing 35 is supported upon the uprights 21 and similar uprights 36 at the opposite end of the housing v35.

The uprights 36 are secured to the floor 6 at 37.

' distance from the resilientswitch blade 38.

A switch actuating lever 42 is pivotally mounted at 43, one adjacent to each of the resilient switch blades 38, so that its upper end when moved upon the pivotal support 43 will cause the resilient blade 38 to be flexed and thereby move into engagement with the contact members 41.

The lower end of each of the levers '42 is provided with a pivotally mounted finger 44, which may move upon its pivotal support 45 in one direction, i. e., that direction indicated in dotted lines 44 in Figure 4. If,

however, the finger 44 is moved in a clockwise direction upon its pivotal support 45, it will cause the lever 42 to move upon its pivotal support 43 and thereby close the switch formed by the switch blade 38 and the contact member 41. With reference to Figure 6 it will be noted that such an operation will cause the incandescent bulb 30 associated with the particular one of the 18 switches to become illuminated, and thereby visibly indicate to the person operating the mechanism the degree at which the wheel 15 has rotated upon its axis.

Means for operatingthe switches 38-41 and associated with the wheel 15 is provided in a disc 46 rotatably mounted at 47 on the Z peripheral wall of the wheel 15. This disc 46 has a radially extending arm 48 which is arranged to lie in the path of the depending fingers 44 on the levers 42, The position of the fingers 44 with relation to the wheel 15 is indicated by a broken line 49 (see Figure 3).

Means for normally locking the disc 46 in'the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 is provided in a recess 50 in the edge of the discs 46, within which a resilient latch member 51 is normally disposed. Obviously the disc 46 may not rotate on its pivotal support 47 as long as the latch member 51 is in the position shown in Figure 4 and the arm 48 will. engage with the various fiiigers 44 of the switch members 42. If, however, the latch member- 51 is drawn downwardly as by means of a cord 52, (see Figures 4 andr5), the disc 46 is free to rotate.

It will be apparent that when the wheel 15 is rotated in a clockwise direction (see Figure 2) that the arm 48 of the disc 46 will lift the various fingers 44 on their respective levers 42 and continue to rotate, depending upon the force with which the wheel has been actuated and when the wheel 15 has finally come to a stop by virtue of the counterweight 24, and started in the reverse direction. i. e., counterclockwise. that the arm 48 will engage with the adjacent finger 44 of the adjacent lever 42 to actuate the lever in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4, thereby closing the associate switch 3841. Continued movement of the wheel 15 in a counterclockwise direction is thereupon precluded.

In order to restore the wheel 15' to its initial position, i. e., with the striking memher in engagement with the portion 19 of the striker lever 18, means is provided consisting of an L-shaped lever 54 pivotally mounted at 55 upon a support 56 secured in. turn upon the hub 57 of the wheel 15. opposite leg58 of the lever 54 is connected by means of a cord 59 to a suitable control p The crank lever draw cord adjacent .to-the place where the player is standing; when the cord 59 is drawn to the left, (see Figure 5) the ment with the disc 46 and permit the disc to turn to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The wheel 15 will thereupon resume its normal position with the resilient latch 51 will move out of engageweight 24 at the lowermost part of the rim thereof. Means for restoring the disc 46 to. the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 is .pro-

vided in a cam memberGO carried by one of the uprights 21 and lying in the path (see dotted lines Fig. 3) of a radially extending arm 61 carried by the disc 46. As the wheel 15 moves in the direction of the arrow 63, the arm 61 will strike the/cam member 60 and cause the arm to be moved to the position shown in full lines in Figure 3, thereby restoring the disc 46 to its original position. 7 7

Means for stopping the clockwise movement of the wheel 15 is provided in a stop member 64 arranged to engage with a bumper 65 carried by one of the uprights 36. 1

An additional counterweight 66 is carried by the wheel 15 to offset the weight of the disc 46, the stop member 64, and the latch operating mechanism, including the lever 54.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. Let us assume that the player is standing at a predetermined distance-form the larger end of the guide member 1, and delivers an accurate stroke, but a stroke with relatively little power. Such a stroke would cause the ball to strike the center of the disc 12 since the stroke is assumed to be an accurate one. The disc 12 will swing upon its flexible support 13 and strike the portion 23 of the striker lever 18, imparting movement and force through the lever 18 to the striker arm 17 carried by the wheel 15. This will cause the wheel 15 to be moved against the influence of the counterweight 24 in a counterclockwise direction. Since the stroke delivered by the operator was not a powerful stroke, and only capable of carrying the ball a small distance along the fairway, the wheel 15 will move let us assume just so far as to permit the stop member to pass the finger 44 associated with the lever 42, which in turn operates the switch 38-41 for closing the circuit. in which the lamp 530 is disposed, opposite the perforation indicating yards. Movement of the wheel 15 having thereupon ceased, the wheel'will move in the opposite direction, causing the arm 48 to bear against the adjacent finger 44 of the lever42, and close the switch 38-41. The lamp 30 will thereupon become illuminated. and visibly indicate through the perforation-27 of the panel 26 the distance at which the ball was supposed to have traveled.

After the'player has observed the result of his stroke, he will manually draw the line 59 so as to cause the latch member 51 to move out of engagement with the disc 46. This will permit the weight 24 to move the wheel 15 back to its former and original position. As the wheel 15 assumes this position, the disc 46 will be reset by engagement of the arm 61 with the cam 60.

If the player now delivers a stroke which is powerful but inaccurate, the ball will not strike the center of the disc 12, but will strike some point adjacent to the edge of the disc. However, energy expended by the contact of the swiftly moving ball with the disc will be used swinging the disc into engagement with the striking lever 18, whilev the remainder will be used in causing an erratic pivotal movement of the disc. The

result of this powerful but inaccurate stroke may be exactly the same as observed by an illumination of one of the lamps 30 in the casing, as given in the former case where the stroke was accurate but delivered with less ower.

It will be noted that therefore the player must observe the characteristic of his stroke as to force, and this relative force should be considered in interpreting the result of the stroke as indicated by the lamps 30 within the casing 25.

I claim:

1. A golf stroke registering device of the type described comprising a striker plate, a

flexible cord for suspending said striker plate in mid air thereby permitting the free movement of the plate and maintaining said striker plate'free of contact with any member, and means for accurately registering the speed and movement of the striker plate when under the influence of the impact of a. golf ball, said means including a strikerleverhaving one end in registration with the mid-point of said striker plate and at a slight distance behind said plate. whereby said striker plate is projected into engagement with said lever by the impact of said golf ball.

2. A golf stroke registering device of the type described comprising a strikerplate, a flexible cord for suspending said striker plate in mid-air thereby permitting the free movement of the plate and maintaining said striker plate free of contact with any member, means for accurately registering the speed and movement of the striker plate when under the influence of the impact of a golf ball, said means including a striker lever having one end in registration with the mid-point of said striker plate and at a slight distance behind said plate, whereby said striker plate is projected into engage' ment with said lever by the impact of said golf ball, and electrically operated means for visibly indicating only the result of said registering means. v

3. A golf stroke registering device of the type described comprising'a striker plate, a flexible cord for suspending said striker by the impact of said golf ball, and a guide member for guiding saidigolf ball toward said striker plate, said guide member being disposed in front of said striker plate and being tapered inwardly to substantially the center of said striker plate.

LA golf stroke registering device of the type described comprising a striker plate, a flexible cord for suspending said striker plate in mid-air thereby permitting the free movement of the plate and ,maintaining said striker plate free of contact with any member, means for accurately registering the speed and movement of the striker plate when under the influence of the impact of a golf ball, said means including a striker lever having one end in registration with the mid-point of said striker plate and at a slight distance behind said plate, whereby said striker plate is projected into engagement with said lever by the impact of said golf ball, electrically operated means for visibly indicating only the result of said registering means, and a guide member for guiding said golf ball toward said striker plate disposed .in frontof the plate,

5. In a golf stroke registering device, a striker plate suspended to swing from a single point-and adapted to receivethe impact of a golf ball on the front face thereof, a movable member disposed in the rear of the plate in a'plane substantially coincident with the axis of suspension of the plate, and

means actuated by the movable member for indicating the force of impact of the plate with said movable member.

6. In a golf stroke registering device, a striker plate suspended to swing from a single point and adapted to receive the imstriker plate suspended to swing from a.

single point and adapted to receive the impact of a golf ball on the front face thereof, a lever having an integral portion disposed in the rear of the plate in a plane substantially coincident with the axis of suspension of the plate, a support, a wheel rotatably mounted upon said support, and means carried by said wheel and contacting with said lever, whereby movement of said lever by said striker plate will rotate said wheel in one direction.

8. In a golf stroke registering device, a striker plate suspended to swing from a single point and adapted to receive the impact of a golf ball on the front face thereof,

a lever having an integral portion disposed in the rear of the plate in a plane substantially coincident with the axis of suspension of the plate, a support, a wheel rotatably mounted upon said support, means carried by said wheel and contacting with said lever. whereby movement of said lever by saidstriker plate will rotate said wheel in one direction, and means actuated by the movement of said'wheel in the other direction for indicating the force of impact of the plate with said lever. I

GEORGE r. THOMSON. 

